02 December 2014

Sunday night Justin was gone to Cheyenne for meetings. The kids were going bonkers. I wanted to pull my hair out. I sent the kids downstairs and pulled out a rug, two large sheets, pillows, blankets, books, and a set of dominoes. I turned the kitchen table into a fort. Then I turned off the lights and left a small lamp on inside the fort. The small space glowed. Soon I called up the kids and shared my table fort with them. The kids happily spent the next two (YES, TWO) hours quietly playing dominoes, reading books, and playing go-to-sleep-wake-up. Heaven! While they played I cleaned up the weekend wreckage and started the laundry. The best was no fighting or arguing. I knew they would ask to sleep inside the fort. When the question came I said yes, the first time. Amelia's jaw dropped to the floor. She excitedly replied, she totally thought I would say no. I layered more blankets and pillows under the table and had the kids asleep by 8:20. Evelyn and I had a quiet chance to read her favorite book, "Little Feet Like..." and snuggle. The next morning the kids ate breakfast in the fort and the boys watched a little iPad for 20 minutes. I finally put the fort away before dinner. In spite of the mess it was a brilliant idea. I love deviating from the norm once in a while.

I sewed up outfits for the girls Monday and Tuesday. I am finishing Amelia's shirt today. What do you think of Evelyn's ruffle pants? Pretty schweet, eh?! Monday we made a thankful tree for FHE, spur of the moment style. My favorites the kids wrote were: alfabet, shelter, jets, sharks, the number 6, and blue binkies. Evelyn started gagging herself this week. It all started when she pulled a paper leaf off the wall and tried to eat it. She gagged. The experience was so novel that she spent the next week gagging herself with objects, her fingers, binky, and anything she could shove down her throat far enough. There is not much more alarming than the sounds of gagging, especially coming from the back seat in a vehicle. I hope this new phase peters out quickly.

Wednesday we spent the morning packing our bags for an impromptu trip to Mt Rushmore. We talked and planned on going to SD all year. Justin and I decided this was our last chance. He booked a hotel Monday evening! The kids had no idea what we planned. Amelia had fun guessing where we were headed. Phillip was disappointed we did not make it to the moon in a jet with his pet dinosaur.